Splitting or skiving machine.



Patented July v21, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q A E m NNN l/WT/VZSSESL 0. PHASE.

SPLITTING' 0R SKIVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 190a.

Patented July 21, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n4: "mam: PETERS c0], WA5HINGTON, v c.

v 0. PHASE.

SPLITT ING OR SKIVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1908.

1, 1 04,00 1 Patented July 21, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

7 I Wc% 35 THE NORRIS Pzrsns c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

G. PEASB.

SPLITTING 0R SKIVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1908. I

1,104,601 i Patented July 21, 1914.

4 SHEET$SHBET 4.

//v VE/V 717 l/V/T/VESSES.

THE Nmzms PETERS co., wAsHmamu, r:. C

' E AT NT oFFioE.

CHARLES PEASE, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORJTO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SPLITTING SKIVING MACHINE.

meteor.

Application filed June 2, 1908.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLns PnAsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Splitting or Skiving Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for treating stock, and is of especial utility when embodied in apparatus for splitting or skiving thin pieces of leather, felt or similar material in a direction substantially parallel to the surface thereof, although I contemplate the use of'my improvements in any field for which they are adapted by their nature.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine which shall skive verythin, soft or flimsy stock evenly and with high eflicie'ncy, and for this reason I prefer to make use of a machine of the type provided with a working member or knife which is noncontinuous and treats recurrently the stock as the latter is fed by any suitable means, the arrangement preferably being such that the work treating member or knife is caused to traverse operatively the forward edge of the stock, to produce a drawing out. i This drawing out cannot be produced with the stationary knife often used in machines for this purpose, while in similar machines employing a band knife the knife is passed over very large rolls, and great power is applied to keep this band taut, so that machines employing a band knife must be constructed very large and heavy, thereby greatly increasing their cost, and the floor space taken up by them, and making it impossible for the small manufacturer to afford to employ them.

The working device in my improved machine may conveniently comprise a plurality of knives, knife blades or other suitable cutting devices, connected in series at their rear ends by links of improved form in the particular embodiment vofthis invention which is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described, to form an endless chain, preferably operating throughout its length in the plane of the stock, and arranged to carry the knives along near the bite of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914. Serial No. 436,215.

pair of feed rolls through which the forward edge of the leather, felt or similar stock is advanced and presented for the recurrent action of the knives, the forward cutting edges of the latter serving together as a unitary cutting tool, during forward movement of the chain, to engage the leather continuously as it is fed through the rolls, and split the-leather with a drawing out. Then the individual blades of such a chain knife approach the active portion of the operative path of the working device, the free ends of the knives separate at their working peripheries as they swing around the curved end of the path into the working tangent thereof, and it is desirable that the part of the knife brought first into operative engagement with the leather or other work atits lateral boundary should be of a cutting contour, so that cutting action will begin at the instant of contact, to avoid tearing, crumpling, or otherwise marring the flimsy leather or other work.

Accordingly, an important object of my invention consists in providing the individual knives with forward cutting edges which at each side merge into slightly rounded cutting corners; and another important object of my invention is to provide means for dressing the knives bygrinding or otherwise sharpening or treating these cutting edges and corners uniformly and frequently and without interfering with the active operation of the machine, the dressing action preferably being-carried on upon thev knives while in motion idly through an inactive region of the operative path of the working device.

As the ordinary chain link is not well fitted to sustain knife blades working in the plane of the chain, another important object of my invention is to provide a chain com posed of links especially devised. to carry the, knives, and arranged to engage with actuating sprocket wheels in such a manner that the knives willbe carried rigidly and in radial position around the curved portion of their operative path adjacent to the sprocket wheels, to insure firm cutting engagement with the lateral boundary of the leather or other work.

An additional feature of the improved link is the means which Ihave provided for mounting the knives on their respective links in such fashion as to insure rigid operative engagement of the knife with the the cutting edges of the knives firmly in engage-ment with the dressing device.

The various features of my invention will be illustrated and described fully in the accompanying drawings and specification and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a leather-splitting machine in the construction of which my improvements have been embodied; Fig. 1 belng a detail view in plan, on a smaller scale, of the work-apron taken separately; and Fig. 1 a similar view of the under side of the work-apron; Fig. 2 is aplan view of said machine upon an enlarged scale, the work-apron being omitted to reveal the chain knife and its operating mechanism; and parts being shown in section; Fig.3 is a fragmentary, detail view, similar to Fig. 2; with the chain knife omitted, showing the means for adjusting the chain-driving mechanism and guides; Fig. 4 is fragmentary detail. view in plan, on an enlarged scale, of three of the knife mounts, or links, connected, but the knives being omitted. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in transverse vertical section,-taken on the line waa Fig. 2, showing adjacent portions of the feed-rolls, worktable and work-apron, with one of the knife blades and its mount shown in place; Fig. 6 is'a detail view in side elevation, partly in section, looking from right to left, Fig. 1, of the mechanism for'dressing the rounded corners of the cutting edges of the knives; Fig. 7 is a viewin rear elevation, partly in section, showing the mechanism for dressing the straight cutting edges of the blades. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view on a larger scale in vertical, transverse section on the line w 00 Fig. 1 of a portion of the knife dressing mechanism; and one of the dressing tools being shown in elevation. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail view in rear elevation, partly in section, on a smaller scale, of the mechanism for adjusting the lower feed roll while Fig. '10 is a view in 'sideelevation of the machine, looking from left to right, Fig. 1.

The machine as shown comprises end standards 2 supporting an actuating shaft 4 which is driven by power applied thereto in any ordinary manner. The end standards 2 also support an upper feeding and gage roll 6 mounted on shaft 10, said shaft being driven by gear wheel 14 which is mounted thereon and engages with a gear wheel mounted on shaft 4 through the medium of and the position of feed 1 lowered accordingly.

an intermediate pinion 16. End standards 2 also support a lower feeding roll 8, mounted on shaft 12, said. shaft being driven by a gear wheel 18 which is mounted thereon and engages a gear wheel 20 mounted on shaft 4.

The feed roll 6 is mounted so as to be adjustable in any well-known or suitable manner, as, for instance, through the medium of cams 22 mounted at each end of a shaft 24 supported on the end standards 2 of the machine and adapted to be turned by a hand wheel 26, said cams engaging the heads 28 of adjustable screws mounted in blocks 30 which are slidable in the ways 32 formed in the end standards 2 of the machine. Said blocks 30 serve as bearings for shaft 10 and are pressed upward as by springs 31 to a position determined by the contact of'cams 22 and the heads of adjustable screws 28. By turning shaft 24 by means of the hand wheel 26 the position of blocks 30 will be adju'stedby means of cam 22 and screw 28 The bearing blocks 29 for the shaft 12 on which feeding roll 8 is mounted are also slidable in the ways 32 and any suitable means may be provided to adjust the roll 8 relatively to the roll 6, and to displacexit ,to permit the insertion of the leather or other stock, and. thereafter to'return the roll 6 raised or roll 8 to feeding position. One convenient 7 form of such means is illustrated in Fig. 9, where the blocks 29 of the feed roll are.

shown as connected pivotally to the members 33 of toggle levers, the arms 34 of which are mounted pivotally on adjustable bearing blocks 35 in ways 36 at the bottom of the standards 2, set screws 37 with retaining nuts 38 being provided. toregulate the position of these lower bearing blocks. Similar set screws 39 with retaining nuts 40 are provided to limit the up-wardthrust of:

the toggles so that the lower feed, roll will not be forced too close to the upper'roll after the adjustment has once .been made.

In order to accomplish quick retraction of the lower roll from theupper roll, and approach of the two, as desired, I have shown arms 41, 42 connected pivotally at 43, 44 with the elbows of the toggles respectively, these arm members entering a sleeve 'member 45 containing a spring 46 whichtends to force the members apart normally and thereby to hold the lower feed roll yieldinglyup to its work. The normal position of the roll can be regulated 'by turning hand wheel 47 upon threaded portion 48of the member 41, aswill be readily understood upon inspection of Fig. 9, rotation of the top of the wheel toward the observer serving to thrust the roll upward, and vice versa, within the limits determined by the set screws 39. At any time by rotation of the bottom of the hand wheel quickly toward the operator, thefeed roll 8 will be permitted to drop, so that the material will be left free for adjustment between the feed rolls, after which by rotating the top of the hand wheel quickly toward the observer the roll will be returned to its adjusted position, the set screws 39 preventing it from being forced past the predetermined position of adjustment. 2

The parts heretofore described form part of a machine well known in the art as the Stowe Splitter and may be varied as found desirable in carrying my invention into practice.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of my improvements, 1 will first call attention briefly in summary to the principal operating parts of the machine illustrated as a preferred embodiment, as follows:

The sheet of leather, or other material to be treated, as it is fed between the rolls 6 and 8, (see Fig. 5) is engaged operatively at once upon emergence from the rolls and is subjected to the continuous splitting action of a chain-knife composed of a plurality of knife blades &9, these knives moving toward the observer in Fig. 5 and toward the left hand in Fig. 2, each knife entering into cutting engagement with the lateral boundary of the forward edge of the work as each knife passes from the position occupied by the knife bearing the reference numeral 48 to the position numbered 49, occupied by the knives respectively moving along the tangent, and after leaving the tangent and moving toward the position occupiedby the knife bearing the'numeral 50 and thence to 51, the knives successively continue in cut ting engagement with the material as long as they contact therewith; this being achieved from 50 to 51 by the slightly rounded cutting corners which in accordance with my invention, are preferably provided at the extremities of each beveled cutting edge. Passing from the point 50 around an actuating sprocket wheel at the left of Fig. 2, first to the position occupied by the knife bearing the numeral 51, thence to that numbered 52 and on to number 53, the knives are subjected to the action of the sharpening grinder or other form of dressing tool or tools 5% and 55 which dress first the forward and then the rearward rounded corners 56 and 57 upon each knife. The knives then pass on to the idle return tangent in which the several knives bear the numeral 58, when they are subjected respectively to the action of the dressing tools 59, 60, which serve to dress the lower and upper edges of the transverse forward cutting edge of each knife successively; and from that point the knives pass in series to and around the right hand sprocket wheel into reengagement withthe material to be treated, and

the cycle of operations already described recurs continuously, the work-treating and dressing proceeding concurrently with feeding of the stock without interruption in the operation of the machine.

In accordance with my invention, and as already set forth briefly, the working device may, and preferably will, be constructed approximately as illustrated, comprising a series of blades or knives 48, 49, 50, etc., connected'suitably at or near their rear ends as by link members 61 to form an endless chain knife preferably operated throughout its length in a plane approximately at right angles to the vertical plane passing through the axes and bite of the feed rolls, and preferably tangent to said plane at the line of operative engagement with the work. Each of these knives has at its outer or free end, as already noted, a cutting edge, preferably ground above and below to a bevel which may be of any suitable contour, and is herein shown as straight, and in accordance with my invention the cutting edge in its preferred form is formed transversely to the length of the blade and terminates in round cutting corners 56 and 57 similarly ground above and below. Each knife is carried preferably (see Figs. 2 and 5) by a separate link or mount 61, these links being articulated to form a chain, the connection being established in any suitable fashion, as by pins 62 (see Fig. a) passing through lugs 63 I at one side of each link, which lugs embrace a lug 64 on the adjoining link; suitable means being provided, in accordance with my invention, to insure a rigid union between the blade and its month. One such convenient union is illustrated in the form of a channel fiankedby upward projections 65, between which lies an extension or tail piece 66 of the blade, and this shank, extention or tail-piece may be secured in any suitable manner to the mount, as by a cap-screw 67 passing through an elongated slot 68, with a washer if found desirable for the sake of stability. Such a connection permits ready adjustment of each knife independently of the others, to bring the cutting edgeof each blade into alinement with the tangent working line at the bite of the rolls.

Each of the links preferably has at its rear a medial recess (39 (see Fig. 41-) to receive a tooth of the sprocket wheels 95, 96,

the rearwardly extending portions 70 embracing the tooth, so that the link and knife become for the time being a radial extension of the tooth, and the knife is therefore carried rigidly into operative contact with the lateral boundary of the leather or other work, an important object of my invention, as already noted, and one which can be served with especially satisfactory results by my novel form of link, although 1 do not limit myself to this specific mount, having devised the same to obviate the deficiencies of existing forms of links, which lack the construction necessary to rigid, radial support, the ordinary link being engaged by the sprocket tooth usually at a region near one end of the link, either inside or outside the same. i

A table, or other suitable support, 71, will preferably be provided for the chain knife, and may be cut away as at 72 (see Figs. and 3) to furnish a track for the links, having also a rabbet or shoulder 73 over which extends and travels the overhanging head 74 of each link, (see Fig. 5) while be yond this shoulder, the projecting rim 75 of the table serves as a support for the knife blades 49 each of which extends between the rolls in such position that the beveled under surface of its cutting edge aflords clearance for the under strip cut from the material, said under strip passing forward and downward in the curved space 76 betweenthe periphery of the lower feed roll and the under-cut rim of the table.

To hold the knives up to their work, I have shown at 77 an abutment in engagement with the rearward portions 70 of the respective links, this abutment being preferably adjustable and provided with slots 78 (see Fig. 2) to receive binding screws 7 9 tapped into the table 71. Additional thrust screws 80 may also be provided, for the abutment, these working in lugs 81 extending aipward from the table.

The table as a whole may be arranged, as shown, to move bodily toward and away from the feed rolls, sliding'on a base 82, and actuated by screws 83 each screwed into the base 82, and engaging an overhanging lip 85 on the table with a collar 86 (see Fig. 1). 7 Above the table 71, andresting thereon, I have shown a removable and adjustable apron 87 having its forward edge beveled as at 88 (see Figs. 1 and 5) and provided with a movable portion 89, having binding screws 90 to hold its forward edge down toward the abutment and blades, while its rear may be tilted upward by set screws 91, acting upon an abutment 92 which serves as a guide for the links along their idle tangent, this abutment having slots 93 and binding screws 94, to permit its fixation in, adjusted position. The free edge of the upperlayer of leather, after having been split, will ride up over the knife upon the forward edge of the apron, and back over the apron, the latter serving to prevent the laterally moving knives or their cap screws or other moving parts from catching or tearing the upper layer of the leather. I

As one convenient form of means to actuate the chain knife, I have shown sprocket wheels 95, 96, secured by cap screws '97 and washers 98 upon the heads of vertical shafts 99, 100, of which the former is preferably journaled (see Fig. 2) in fixed position in the table, having a bevel gear 102 meshing with bevel gear 103 upon a horizontal shaft 104 which shaft is provided with a central sprocket hub 105 (see Fig. 2) operated'by a chain 106 running to a shaft 107 (see Fig. 1) journaled between the standards 2 and actuated in turn by the main shaft 4 through to take up any slack in'the chain-knife, this bolt working in a bridge 115 secured removably to the table 71 by screws 116., The horizontal shaft 104 is preferably movable axially in the hub 117 of the bevel gear 103, being connected rot-atively therewith by suitable means, as for example, the spline 118, (see Fig. 1) in order to permit'the bevel gear 119, fixed at the other end of the horizontal shaft 104 to rest in constant engagement with, and to actuate, a bevel gear 120 upon the lower end of the vertical shaft 100 as the latter shifts when adjusted.

When the chain knife is actuated by the sprocket wheels to move along'the working tangent'at the bite of the feed rolls, the blades passing the tangent at any given time form substantially a unitary and, straight cuttingedge, although they may be slightly separated, but at the respective ends of the cutting tangent the cutting engagement takes place, in the instance illustrated, in a curved arcof'a radius equal to the distance from the center of the sprocket wheel to the cutting corner of the knife edge, and when the knives have cleared the material, their cutting edges Will be separated considerably from each other as they pass around the sprocketwheel, and until they approach one another again to traverse the idle tangent upon their return journey toward the working tangent. thisseparatio'n of the knives in the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated to dress theround corners 56, 57 (see'Fig. 2)

and any suitable means may be adopted to accomplish this dressing operation.

As one convenlent form of dressing mechanism, which is of especial utilityfor the type of. machine herein illustrated for'the reason that the dressing operation can, and

should be, carried on while the working device is in active operation and without interfering with 1ts operatlon, I have devised an improved mechanism for dressing tools of the classdescribed, comprising a plurality of rotating sharpening disks which .serve respectively to grind the upper and I avail of best in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and-10', wherein there-f:

erence nu'nierals 54 and" 55 designate'respectively the disks of the dresser devices, whose dressing surfaces 121 and'122 may be com-' posed of emery, adamite, carborundum or other suitable material, abrasive or otherwise.

Any suitable means may be utilized to present these devices in. proper relation with the knives as they successively pass the dressing points, and in the instance illustrated the support for these dressing devices takes the form of an L-shaped bracket 123 secured upon the base by a bolt 124 (see Fig. 1) passing through a slot 125 in. the foot of the bracket, which is provided with turntables 126 and 127 (see Figs.2and 6) for the upper and lower disks respectively, these turntables having horizontal pivot bolts 128 with nuts 129 to secure them in ad justed position rotatively, and additional means for such adjustment being provided in the set screws 130 which pass through threaded holes 131 in lugs 132 of the bracket, engaging radially projecting sleeve members 133- The sleeve members may be split to receive bearing bushings 134 through which pass the spindles or shafts 135 and 136 for the dressing disks respectively, and similar bearing sleeves 137 and 138, with bushings 139 may be provided atthe opposite sides of the turntables to afford broad bearings for the shafts. Each of these spht bearing sleeves may have screw bolts 14-0 to tighten them and retain the bushings 1n place, and I have shown at 141 a spring within a tube 142 and bearing against the rear of plungers 143 passing through apertures in the bracket lugs 144, this spring serving through the medium of the plungers to separate the disks to receive, and act properly on, the beveled corners of the knives. When adjusted as shown, the dressing disks will produce a slightly concave bevel on the upper and lower surfaces of the cutting edges of the corners, but they may be arranged to produce a straight bevel. The shafts 135 and 136 may be provided respectively with pulleys 145 and 146, traversed and actuated by a driving belt 147 (see Figs. 1 and 2) running to a pulley 148 on a shaft 149 carried by the end standards 2 and having at its outer end a pulley 150 driven by a belt 151 which runs to an intermediate pulley 152 belted to the driving pulley 153 on the shaft 4. The pulley 154 on theshaft 135 (see Fig. 6) may be loose, the pulleys 145 and 146 being shown as fixed to their shafts by screws'155.

From the above description, it will be understood that the dressing disks 54 and 55 can be adjusted bodily with their bracket loosening dividual' disks "can be adjusted 'axially in the sleeve bearings 133, etc. at right angles to the first mentioned adjustment, to regulate toward and away from the line of travel of the cutting corners of the knives after the bolt 124, (see Fig. 1) the inthe curvature of the cutting corners; and the disks can be adjusted, by rotation of the turntables, to dress more or less deeply; As

the knives reach respectively a position intermediate that occupied by the knife bear ;ing the reference-numeral 51 and that hearing the number 52, the dressing disks 54 and'55 will dress the forward rounded cut- ;ting corner 56of the knife; and therear trounded corner 57 of the knife will be {dressedthereby as the bladepasses Zthe position numbered '53.

on to The blades respectively have their longerv cutting edges dressed bythe action of the surfaces 156 and 157 of disks 59 and 60 (see Figs. 1,2 and 7) these being supported in any suitable fashion, as upon shafts 158 and 159 carried by the bearing head 160, having ,a stud or rock shaft 161passing through, and rotatable in, a bearing lug 162 secured to the under surface of the table 71 by screws 163, a set screw 164 serving to hold the rock shaft and head in adjusted angular position, with one of the disks 59 below the plane ofthe knivesin position to engage and dress their under surfaces in succession, while theother disk 60 occupies a similar position relatively to the upper surfaces and edges of the knives. I have shown the table as, cut awayat 165 to receive the lower disk and give the same access to the under surfaces of the blades, and in Fig. 8 I illustrate a spring gib or presser device 166 which may be provided to hold each blade in dressing engagement with thelower dresser disk, this presser device being mounted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, within an undercut recess 167 toward the rear 168 of the apron 87, a spring169 cotiperati'ng therewith to force each blade 58 into dressing engagement with the disk as theblade comes into operative engagement with the presser device. a

In Fig. 7 I have shown meansfor adjusting the shafts 158 and 159 of the straight edge dresser devices axially, independently of each other, and these means may take any suitable form;one suchconvenient form he mg -illustrated in the externally threaded rotating bearing pieces orbushings 170 and 1.71 passing through threaded apertures 17 2 in split arms 173, which are shown as provided with tightening screws 174 by which i set screws 177, and being provided with pulleys 178, fastened by set screws 179 through their hubs on the opposite side of the bear-' ing pieces 170 and 171, so that the shafts move co-axially with the bearing-pieces,

Fig. 1) over which the belt 181 runs to a pulley 184 on the shaft 149. After the blades have been dressed, in order to afford opportunity for their inspection before they pass around the sprocket wheel 95 to the working tangent, I have shown the table as cut away at 185, at the end of the idle tangent, (see Fig. 2).

Having illustrated and described my invention thus fully, and suitable means for carrying the same into effect, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific mechanism herein shown and described, nor in general otherwise than as set forth in the claims, read in connect-ion with this specification. V I

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine of the class described pro vided with a chain-knife comprising a series of blades each having a transverse cuttingedge and rounded cutting corners, and means for actuating said knife, means acting upon said knife while in motion for dressing said straight edges, and separate means acting similarly for dressing said rounded corners.

2. In a machine of the class described; provided with a chain-knife comprising a plurality of blades, each provided with a transversecutting edge and rounded cutting corners, means operating during the move-- ment of the knife to dress said rounded corners.

3. Dressing mechanism for apparatus of the class described, said apparatus having an articulated knife comprising a plurality of separately formed cutting members with transverse cutting edges having rounded cuttingcorners, and said dressing mechanism comprising a disk held in position to engage and adapted to dress said rounded corners respectively, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an endless chainknife and its table, said knife'comprising a plurality of link members each including a knife and its mount; of a plurality of abutment tracks traversed bysa id link members respectively and each adjustable to vary the line of travel of a plurality of said links at the same time; abutment screws and clamping screws to hold said abutments in ad usted pos1t1on;-and means to permit ad ustment of said. knives independently upon. their mounts without varying the position of said abutment. V

5. In a machine for treating material of the class described; a chain, knife; a plurality of actuating sprocket wheels therefor;

said knife and wheels lying respectively in the plane of feed of said material; said sprocket wheels being mounted on shafts provided with gears; and a countershaft geared to said wheel shaft gears to actuate the same; and means to take up the slack in said chain, said means permitting said gears to remain in mesh.

ity of actuating sprocket wheels therefor;

said knife and wheels lying respectively in the plane of feed of said material; 'said sprocket wheels being mount-ed on shafts,

geared to said wheel shaft actuate the same.

8. Alink for chains of the class described; said link comprising a mount portion grooved to receive and support a working device, and presenting rearwardly a recess extending, along the medial line of said working device to receive a suitable actuating device; said rearwardly extending recess and groove being co-eXtensive and in communication for a portion of their length; substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. CHARLES PEASE.

gears, and to Witnesses:

JAMES R. Honnnn, BERNARD BARRoWs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

WashingtomD. C.

provided with gears; and a counter shaft 7 

